re: Overheat wierdness in Alfetta GTV

[Jay Negrin <jmnegrin@domain.elided>]

Dave -

have you checked the thermostat?  If it is on its way out, it could,
erratically, fail to open, completely or partially.  This would,
obviously, give poorer cooling than needed.  T-stats are relatively
cheap, and they do go away after a while.  If it is intermittent, it may
be hard to spot.  If/when it becomes permanent, suspend the offending
part in a pan of water.  Apply heat.  As it comes to a boil, the
thermostat should open  If not, can it, and replace with a good part.

Hope that is all it is.

Jay Negrin
ARO So Cal - Suffering through (tongue in cheek) out "winter"

------------------------
Dave wrote -

Christmas Eve.  Left work around 4:30pm here in Sydney (fairly hot day,
if any
of you have seen footage of the bush fires around the place it might
give
you some idea).

Decided to take the "new" tunnel that meets the Airport to avoid traffic
lights.
Big, long tunnel.

...snip...

About half way through aforementioned tunnel, the temp. gauge starts
reading
over 80 degrees C and keeps on going.  Normally, the needle sits dead
between the 8 and the 0, with occasional flicks to either side as the
engine fan kicks in and out.  When the temp. starts to look worrying I
switch out the A/C but it doesn't make much difference.  I also hear
the odd bit of pre-ignition (pinging).  Fearful that I had done
something
stupid like leave the oil cap off the engine, or lost a water pump (or
belt)
I pulled over as soon as the tunnel finished and started looking around.

Everything looks spot on.

...snip...

I sit there for 10 minutes and take off again, this time driving the
bejesus out
of the poor little bugger.

...snip...

no further problems.  By the end of the trip the car is screaming,
running very cool and
faster than I ever remember it (thanks to recent carburettor fiddling).
Used
less fuel too (big surprise).

Has anybody seen this before?  Water pump is newish, belts are good,
radiator
hoses are only 12 months old.  Thermostat is 12 months old.  Radiator
itself
is of dodgy providence but not leaking obviously, or obviously blocked.
The only
thing I've changed since last summer is a replacement bonnet sound
deadening
mat.  I know this is affecting how much heat comes out from under the
bonnet
because it no longer makes steam in the rain :-)

...snip...

Any suggestions?

dave.

1978 Alfetta GTV "trusty" <-- maybe not anymore...

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